Canada Put Naturists on Trial for Public Nudity

by Liz Langley

Naturists, in turn, put Canada on trial for public prudery.

Two Ontario men who went to court on public nudity charges this week are arguing that they have the right to show their junk in public. Naturists John Cropper and Brian Coldin, who owns a 30-acre clothing-optional resort, argued that “the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the rights of Canadians to expose their genitals,” The Toronto Sun says.

The Vancouver Sun reported that lawyer Nader Hasan argued that the nudity laws were too broad and that “The Crown has not proved there is any harm emanating from exposure to nudity,” and that “You can be indecent with clothes on, and you can be indecent with clothes off.”

Crown attorney Zachery Greene said the incidents did indeed cause public upset. The Toronto paper reported that “one woman broke down weeping as she testified that the men came through the A&W where she works and spent up to 15 minutes fussing around with money—pretending to look for wallets in back pockets, all while their genitals “flopped” around.”

The Vancouver Sun noted that the incidents included “being nude at a Tim Horton’s…” a ubiquitous and delightful donut chain founded by hockey great Tim Horton and featuring what folks in the U.S. call “donut holes” but which the store calls Timbits. They’re prrrrobably the only bits—or holes, for that matter—people might want to see there. Ditto for the A&W where you might not appreciate unbidden flopping when you’re trying to eat a hot dog.